'Beauty and the Beast' magical

Monday

Aug 1, 2016 at 3:29 PMAug 2, 2016 at 6:29 AM

At some point you'll likely just realize you're enchanted.

By Cindy NickersonContributing writer

CHATHAM – After fairy-tale heroine Belle becomes captive in a castle with a surly man-beast and a walking/talking clock, candelabra and teapot, she remarks that the place is enchanted. The clock and candlestick accuse each other of spilling the beans. But Belle assures them she figured it out herself.

Chatham Drama Guild’s production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” is rather like that: At some point you’ll likely just realize you’re enchanted.

Maybe you’ll succumb right away to this “tale as old as time” (to borrow lyrics from the haunting title song) about true beauty residing on the inside, within a person’s heart and soul.

It begins when an arrogant prince (Todd Yates Gosselin) turns an old beggar woman (Ana Claire Tecca) away on a cold winter night, and she – in a twirl of her enchantress’ cape – retaliates by casting a spell on him (turning him into a beast) and the castle. She leaves behind a red rose, a magical mirror and a sliver of hope: He can break the spell if he can learn to love someone and win their love in return before the last petal falls from the rose.

Or maybe the enchantment will happen when you first see and hear the lovely Rebecca Banas, playing Belle for the third time at a community theater. She’s spunky and bright – in a demure sort of way – and her singing voice resembles her character’s name: a bell sounding true, clear and sweet. We meet her in the musical number “Belle,” where she walks around with her nose in a book, her head in the clouds, while the people of her provincial French town sing about how peculiar she is.

If the way to your heart lies through your funny bone, Levane Harrington’s turn as Gaston, the village’s boorish, vain, muscle-flexing heartthrob, may seal the deal. Gaston is set on marrying Belle because she’s the prettiest girl in town. “We shall be the perfect pair – rather like my thighs,” he tells her and concludes his proposal by asking, “Is it yes? Or is it ‘Oh, yes!’?” – as might be uttered in the throes of passion.

Needless to say, Belle isn’t impressed. But you – and definitely any children you have in tow – will surely fall for the enchanted household objects she encounters at the castle.

But let’s back up a moment. She goes to the castle because her eccentric father, Maurice (the lovable Joseph Theroux), is being held prisoner there. Recognizing a rare opportunity for breaking the spell, the Beast accepts her noble offer to take her father’s place. While the Beast is scary, Belle quickly finds friends in the unusual servants.

That’s one of few differences between the musical stage show and the 1991 Disney blockbuster that inspired it. In the film, the servants have long ago ceased to be people. It was easy enough – through the magic of animation – to have objects sing and dance. That approach being restrictive for theater, the solution was to have the transformation in process. This is actually more poignant – having their humanity slipping away – and heightens the sense of urgency for the spell to be broken.

Director Pam Banas and Jeff Spencer waxed very inventive in creating the staff’s costumes, and Banas surely deserves credit for helping them find their personalities. She herself plays the wardrobe, the gracious Madame de la Grande Bouche, with the “bureau” she wears giving a whole new meaning to “wooden” performance. In one of the show’s most delicious moments, she pulls a dress out of her own top drawer.

Geof Newton is delightful as the valet, Lumière, a debonair candelabra whose arms now terminate in stubby candles. Robert Shire is equally wonderful as Cogsworth, the head of the castle. He has become a mantel clock with Roman numerals on his face – charming even if, as he admits, “tightly wound.” These two play well together, making the most of their odd couple relationship. Lumière also has a flirtation with the saucy maid Babette (Ellen Birmingham), who is turning into a feather duster. This has its hazards. She risks being burnt; her feathers make him sneeze.

In addition, Delane Moser is very sweet and motherly as the cook, Mrs. Potts, who is becoming a teapot. Her left arm is already a spout. Her right – while still armlike – is fixed akimbo like a handle. Her young son, Chip (10-year-old Alexis Arruda), has become a chipped teacup. All that’s left is his (actually her) expressive face, embedded in the side of the cup.

Then, of course, there’s Gosselin, playing the Beast opposite Rebecca Banas for the third time. Resembling a buffalo head with a tiger’s teeth, his mask covers almost his entire head. He conveys considerable feeling, though, just through his movements and amazing voice (even singing something full of longing like “If I Can’t Love Her”). Deep and strong, it’s like Darth Vader without the mechanical sounds. Gosselin’s Beast is pretty fierce, but mellows engagingly as Belle touches his heart.

Once Belle and the Beast begin to fall in love, the enchantment is irresistible. I saw Banas and Gosselin during their first go as Beauty and the Beast at the Academy of Performing Arts in Orleans in 2005, and the chemistry was undeniable. It turns out they were dating at the time. Then they got married. Then divorced. So we know life doesn’t always have storybook endings. The onstage magic, though, is absolutely still there.

Chatham Drama Guild is extremely fortunate to have piano accompaniment by musical director Schwab, whose credentials include working with Ken Burns. I had the privilege of sitting where I could watch her fingers flying over the keyboard. Perhaps it was also my proximity to the piano that made some singing difficult to hear. But such was the case.

Designed by Scott Hamilton, the set representing the castle’s interior is impressive, especially with a large arched window as its centerpiece. There’s also an amazingly expansive painted backdrop of the castle library.

This production – already so good (though with that certain community theater unevenness about it) – should only get better with time. In addition to excellent casting, it has warmth, a great sense of fun and wonderful energy on ensemble numbers like “Be Our Guest” and “Something There.” And when Banas comes out wearing Belle’s famous yellow, off-the-shoulder gown, children should have no trouble believing she’s the fairy-tale princess of their dreams.